Automatic wagon-brake.



G. GARVER.

AUTOMATIC WAGON BRAKE.

APPLICATION IILEDjAN. 23, 1909.

Patented Dec. 28', 1909.

NTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

H/YTNESSES: W NW5 um: a sum/m co Puma umoemmens ASYIIIG u o G. GARVER.

AUTOMATIC WAGON BRAKE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 23, 1909.

Patented Dec.28,1909.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES;

.5 f M g/ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES GARVER, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOB 0F ONE-THIRD TO OREN R.

YERKS, OF NEW HAVEN, INDIANA.

AUTOMATIC WAGON-BRAKE.

9&4361.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 28, 1909.

Application filed January 23, 1909. Serial No. 473,811.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES GARvnR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fort lVayne, in the county of Allen, in the State ofIndiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutomaticWVagon- Brakes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic wagon brakes.

The object of my present invention is to provide a comparatively cheap,simple, efficient and reliable wagon brake so constructed and arrangedas to automatically retard the vehicle, upon which it is mounted, in itsdescent of a down grade with a degree of force approximatelyproportional to such grade, and also to automatically lock the vehicleagainst a retrograde movement upon an incline when the vehicle istemporarily halted in its descent, and also adapted to be temporarilysecured, when desired, out of its operative relation with the wheels, as

when the vehicle is traveling upon a level road, or in mud and the like.

My invention consists of a transverse brake beam fixed upon the reachforward of the rear wheels of the vehicle and provided upon its oppositeends with upright guide brackets; bifurcated brake-shoe bracketspivotally fulcrumed at their inner ends and arranged in the guidebrackets; brake-shoes pivotally mounted in their supporting brackets;brake-levers fulcrumed near their outer ends which are pivotallyconnected to the brake-shoe brackets; means for limiting the verticalplay of the brake-shoe brackets in their guiding means; means fortemporarily elevating the brake-shoe brackets to the uppermost limit oftheir movement; a horizontal plate mounted on the reach forward of thebrake-beam; spring-pressed means mounted on the said plates andpivotally connected at one end with the brake-levers and brake-shoebracket supporting and limiting means, and connected at its other endwith a slidably movable double tree; and means for locking thebrake-mechanism out of operative position.

The principal novel features of my invention reside in the means forelevating and actuating the brake-shoe brackets; the spring pressedmeans for automatically securing the brake-shoe actuating means innormal position; and the means for temporarily securing the brakemechanism out of its operative relation with the wheels.

Similar reference numerals indicate like parts in the several views ofthe drawings, in which Figure l is a plan view of my invention partlybroken away in position upon a vehicle, also partly broken away, showingthe relative arrangement of the operative parts, and also showing indotted outline the position of the parts when out of action. Fig. 2 is aside view of the same with the brakebeam in cross-section to show thelongitudinal operating rod rotatively mounted therein. Fig. 3 is anenlarged detail side view brake-shoe actuating mechanism, showing indotted outline the other limit of its movement, and the position of thebrake-shoe when descending an incline. Fig. 4; is an enlarged detailrear view of a portion of the spring-pressed mechanism showing the reachand supporting plate in cross-section. Fig. 5 is a similar view to thatof Fig. 3 showing the operative parts in the other limit of theirmovement, and the position of the brake-shoe in looking the vehicle uponan ascent. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail of a portion of the means fortemporarily securing the brake mechanism out of action. Fig. 7 is afront end view of the means for securing the brakeanechanism out ofaction.

At a suitable point on the wagon reach 1 and in proper relation to thefront face of the perimeter of the rear wheel 2 is rigidly fixed thetransverse brake-beam 3, Fig. 1, of proper strength and dimensions,which is firmly braced against lateral strains by means of a pair ofrods l whose forward ends are fixed therein near its ends, and whoserear ends are fixed in the rear bolster 5. By means of the rods 4: thebrake beam can readily be adjusted to and from the rear wheels asdesired.

The brake beam 3 has a longitudinal recess throughout its length inwhich is revolubly mounted a rock-shaft 6, Fig. 2, provided at itsopposite ends with the fixed radial arms 7 pointing rearwardly andarranged in the respective upright bifurcated guide brackets 8 rigidlysecured to the respective ends of the brake beam. The rockshaft 6 ispreferably concealed by means of a plate 9 fixed upon the upper face ofthe containing brake-beam. The rockshaft 6 is also provided at or nearthe middle of its length with a short radial rearwardly inclined arm 10,Fig. 2, for the purpose hereafter described.

At suitable points on the front face of the brake-beam 3, near the endsthereof are fixed the bracket 11 in whose bifurcated free ends thebrake-levers 12 are pivotally fulcrumed near their outer ends foralimited horizontal movement. The levers 12 of similar construction,arrangement and operation, are provided at the rear faces of their outerends with a staple 13 to which are pivotally connected the rear ends ofthe brake-shoe brackets 14 arranged in the respective guide brackets 8,and carrying in their rear bifurcated ends the pivotally mounted brakeshoes 15, respectively. On suitable pivots 16 in the upper face of thebrake-beam are loosely mounted the similar levers 17 whose outer endsare pivotally connected to the forward end of the blocks 18 arranged inthe respective guide-brackets 8 and resting upon the adjacent portion ofthe brackets 14. The rear ends of the blocks 18 have their width reducedfor the purpose hereafter described. To the front edge of the brake-beamat or near the middle of its length is fixed the rear end of the plate19, the forward end of which is fixed to the reach 1.

To the upper face of the plate 19, at its forward end, is fixed abracket 20 provided with a pair of longitudinally alined uprightstandards 21 having suitable lateral slots in which the draw-bar 22 isslidably mounted. The rear standard 21 has a lateral opening in whichthe forward end of the rod 23 is loosely mounted. At a suitable point011 the plate 19, preferably near the middle of its length, is fixed anupright bracket 24, having a lateral opening in which the rear end ofthe rod 23 is slidably mounted. On the upturned rear end of the rod 23is rigidly fixed a transverse plate 24, Fig. 4, provided upon itsopposite ends with the upright lugs 25 on which are pivotally fulcrumedthe levers 26 and 27, respectively, which are provided near the middleof their length with a longitudinal vertical slot 28, Fig. 1, in whichare loosely secured the rear ends of the connecting rods 29respectively, whose forward ends are pivotally connected to the oppositesides of the collar 30 loosely mounted on the rod 23, which has a fixeddiametric pin 31 between which and the sleeve 30 is arranged a coiledspring 30 on the rod 23. A second coiled spring 32 is arranged on therod 23 with one end bearing against the pin 31 and its other end bearingagainst the adjacent the rod 36.

face of the bracket 24. The outer ends of the levers 26 and 27 arepivotally connected with the inner and adjacent ends of the respectivebrake levers 12 by means of the rods 33, and the inner ends of thelevers 26 and 27 are pivotally connected to the inner end of thedraw-bar 22 by means of the respective rods 34, Fig. 5.

On the upper end of the rear standard 21 is arranged an aperturedlateral lug Fig. 1, in which is loosely mounted the forward end of therod 36 whose rear end is pivotally connected to the upper end of the arm10. A rod 37 in approximately parallel relation with the rod 36, has itsforward end pivotally mounted in a suitable lateral aperture in theforward end of the draw-bar 22, and its rear end slidably connected tothe rear end of the rod 36.

The inner adjacent ends of the levers 17 are pivotally connected to therear end of the plate 38 by means of the links 39. The forward upturnedend of the plate 38 is laterally apertured and slidably mounted on Athird rod 40 has both ends loosely mounted on the rod 36. Between theforward end of the plate 38 and the rear end of the rod 40, on the rod36 is loosely mounted a coiled spring 41, and between the forward end ofthe rod 40 and the lug 35 of the standard 21 is loosely Il'lOllDtCtl acoil spring 42.

On the front face of the forward bolster 43 is rigidly fixed a forwardlyprojecting bracket 44, Fig. 1, to whose free end is pivotally mounted alever 45 whose outer end is pivotally connected to an upright operatinghand lever 46 by means of the link 47, and to whose inner end is rigidlyfixed a cam-plate 48, having the curved slot 49 adjacent to its rearedge, and having a curved slot 50 adjacent to its forward edge. In theslot 49 is slidably secured the forward end of the rod 51 whose rear endis loosely secured to the forward end of the draw-bar 22. The hand lever46 is pivotally fulcrumed on the bracket 52 fixed on the bolsterstandard 53. Beneath the bracket 44 is arranged a rod 54 whose inner endis loosely connected to the rod 51, and whose outer end is pivotallyconnected to an upright operating hand-leve 55 fulcrumed in the lateralbracket 56 on the front face of the bolster standard 53. In the slot 50of the cam plate 48 is slidably mounted the rear end of a short-rod 57whose forward end is pivotally connected to the double tree 58 by meansof the rod 59. The double tree 58 is of common form, but has a verticaltransverse slot 60 through which the vertical pin or bolt 61 passes,whereby the double tree is adapted for a limited forward movement underthe impulse of the draft of the team.

The operation of my invention thus described is obvious and brieflystated is as follows: The operative parts are normally in the relativeposition shown in full lines in Fig. 1, but when the draft of the teamis exerted upon the double tree 58 they assume the relative positionshown in dotted outlines through their described connection with thedouble tree and with one another, in which position the brake-shoes haveno tendency to lock the wheels 2. It is evident that a forward pull onthe draw bar 22 and its connection with the double tree actuates thebrake-levers 12 through the levers 26 and 27 and the connecting rods 34and 33, thereby withdrawing the brackets 14 and their brake-shoes from acontact with the wheel 2. This movement of the levers 26 and 27compresses the two coil springs 30 and 32 by means of the collar 30 andthe connecting rods 29, whereby the brake levers and the brake-shoeswill, under the tension of the two last mentioned springs, automaticallyresume their normal position when the drawbar is relieved of the draftthereon. The forward pull on the said draw-bar also forwardly rotatesthe arm and with it the rock shaft 6 thereby elevating the brakeshoebrackets 14 by means of the arms 7, in which position they will berigidly supported until the draft on the draw-bar 22 is released, whenthe rock-shaft will resume its normal position through the influence ofthe coil springs 41 and 42. Simultaneously with the elevation of thebrackets 14 the blocks 18 will be pushed rearwardly on the same withinthe bracket 8 and beneath the transverse pin 8 fixed in the top of thebrackets 8, whereby the upward movement of the brackets 14 are limited.On a descending grade so long as there is a draft upon the draw-bar andits connections with the brake levers the brake-shoes will merelycontact with the wheels 2, as shown in Fig. 3, but as soon as the draftceases, the tension of the coil springs 32, 41 and 42 promptly force thebrackets 14 rearward whereby the shoes 15 turn over rearwardly under thefriction of the wheels and firmly lock the wheels by an engagement oftheir flat faces 15 with the wheels, as shown in dotted outline in Fig.3. This locking action of the brake mechanism is, of course, automaticunder the recoil of the said springs. lVhen ascending a hill and it isdesired to lock the vehicle against a retrograde movement to rest theteam, for example, the eccentric brake shoes will, when the draft on themechanism is released, be forced by the wheel into the position shown bydotted lines in Fig. 5, whereby the wheels will be firmly locked and theshoes prevented from turning further by the engagement of the lateralpins 2 with the upper edge of the brackets 14. When it is desired toleave the draft team standing without hitching, the operator readilysets the brake mechanism against the power of the team to release thebrakes by the forward draft, by pulling the forward end of the rod 51laterally by means of the rod 54 and its operating hand-lever 55,whereby it will engage the rear end of the slot 49 of the cam plate 45,whereby the forward movement of the double-tree to its limit under theimpulse of the draft can have no efiect upon the brake-levers or theirconnections. When it is desired to temporarily secure the brakemechanism out of action, as for example when operating only upon levelground, the operator adjusts the plate 48 forward into the positionshown by dotted lines in Fig. 1 by means of the lever and the hand-lever46, thereby withdrawing the brake shoes clear of the wheels, after thelever 46 is rigidly fixed in such position. It is thus obvious that myinvention is prompt, reliable and automatic in action, and that itexerts its holding or braking power with a degree of force approximatelyproportional to the incline upon which the same is used.

Having thus described my invention and the manner of employing the same,what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an automatic wagon brake, a movable double-tree; pivotally mountedbrakeshoes; brake-levers operatively connected at their outer ends withthe brake-shoes; a draw-bar slidably supported in substantiallyright-angular relation to the said levers; springpressed means forpivotally connecting the draw-bar with the inner ends of the levers;means for pivotally connecting the draw-bar with the said double-tree,whereby the draft of the motive power on the double tree tends towithdraw the brakeshoes from their engagement against the resistance ofthe said spring-pressed means; and spring-pressed means for connectingthe draw-bar to the brake-shoe elevating means.

2. In an automatic wagon brake, a laterally slidable double-tree; abrake-beam; brake-shoes on the ends of the brake-beam; brake-leversfulcrumed near the ends of the said beam and pivotally connected attheir outer ends to the brake-shoes by means of the brackets 14;spring-pressed means for normally securing the brake levers in operativeposition; and means for connecting the last mentioned means with thesaid doubletree.

3. In an automatic wagon brake, a laterally slidable double tree; abrake-beam; brake shoe brackets pivotally connected to the outer ends ofthe respective brake levers; brake-shoes pivotally mounted in the saidbrackets; brake-levers fulcrumed on the brake-beam near the ends thereofand pivotally connected to the said brackets; a horizontal plate securedat one end to the beam midway of its ends; a draw-bar slidably mountedupon the other end of the plate; spring-pressed means for normally.securing the brake shoes in their engagement; and means for operativelyuniting the draw-bar to the double-tree.

a. In an automatic wagon brake a laterally slidable double-tree; atransverse brakebeam; brake-shoes pivotally mounted on the brake-beam;means'for automatically elevating the brake-shoes when not in action;means for limiting the upward movement of the brake shoes when inaction; brake-levers fulcrunied on the'brake-beam and connected at theirouter ends to the brake-shoes; a slidably mounted draw-bar; pivotedlevers fulcrumed in right-angular relation to the draw-bar, andpivotally connected therewith by suitable interposed means, and with thebrake-levers; spring-pressed means for securing the said pivoted leversin their normal position; spring-pressed means for connecting thedraw-bar to the brake-shoe elevating means; spring-pressed means forconnecting the last mentioned means to the means for limiting the upwardmovement of the brake-shoes; and means for pivotally connecting thedraw-bar with the doubletree.

In automatic wagon brake mechanism a brake-beam; brake shoes slidablyfulcrumed on the brake-beam by suitable carrying brackets; means forelevating the brakeshoes; means for limiting their upward movement;brake levers fulcrumed on the brake beam near its ends; andspringpressed means for normally securing the brake-shoes in positionfor action, consisting of a base plate whose rear end is fixed to thefront edge of the beam midway of its ends; a standard fixed on the baseplate near its forward end; a draw-bar slidably mounted in the standard;levers pivotally tulcrumed on the base-plate forward of the brake leversand pivotally connected therewith and with the draw-bar; spring pressedmeans for securing the previously mentioned levers in their normalposition; and spring-pressed means for pivotally connecting the drawbarwith the means for elevating the brakeshoes, and with the means forlimiting their upward movement.

6. In an automatic wagon brake, a movable double-tree; pivotally mountedbrakeshoes; brake-levers operatively connected at their outer ends withthe brake-shoes; a draw-bar slidably supported in substantiallyright-angular relation to the said levers; spring-pressed means forpivotally connect.- ing the draw-bar with the inner ends of the levers;means for pivotally connecting the draw-bar with the said double-tree,whereby the draft of the motive power on the double tree tends towithdraw the brake-shoes from their engagement against the resistance ofthe said springpressed means; means for setting the brake mechanism inaction beyond the control of the motive power of the vehicle; and meansfor setting the brake mechanism out of its normal position for action.

Signed by me at Fort Vayne, Allen county, State of Indiana, this 9th dayof January, A. D. 1909.

CHARLES eanvnn.

Witnesses:

AUGUSTA VIBERG, AUeUs'rE SPIEGEL.

